A trio of brothers from Ethiopia has made Ararat their new home, having spent several years looking for a place to settle after leaving their home-nation.
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Ararsa, Buzayo and Geda Wakjira all work at Ararat Meat Exports. Butchering and processing meat for up to 10 hours a day can be physically taxing, but Ararsa said he is grateful for the opportunities afforded to him in Ararat.
"The work is hard but I am strong," he said.
"The town is good for me because now I have work. In Melbourne, it was very difficult to find a job but here is good.
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"Ararat people are lovely people. They are very friendly and we feel very welcome."
The trio is part of the 'Bridge to regional employment opportunities' project, delivered by refugee settlement agency AMES Australia.
They moved to Ararat in October 2020, having spent more than a year trying to get work in Melbourne.
Ararsa, Buzayo and Geda had initially sought refuge from conflict and political persecution in Ethiopia in 2016.
"There was no peace in my country," Buzayo said.
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"We had to leave because of the war and the politics. There was mistreatment of us by the government."
The brothers left Ethiopia at different times but were eventually reunited by the Red Cross as refugees in Cairo, Egypt. Yet many challenges remained.
"In Egypt it was very difficult to live. We could not get jobs," Buzayo said.
He agreed with Ararsa that life in Ararat was much better.
"I enjoy living here. In Melbourne, it was hard to get a job but here we are busy and we are better off. We play tennis and we go swimming in the lake," Buzayo said.
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"The people in Ararat are very nice, some of them have become like family to us. We feel very welcome.
"We have our house and everything we need. Five days a week we work and on Saturday and Sunday we have visitors and we make coffee for them.
"Now people in Ararat know about Ethiopian coffee and maybe we'll open a coffee shop."
AMES Community Coordinator Mirrin Pedro said the brothers were determined to build new lives in Ararat.
"They are keen to become part of the local community and they're eager to get drivers licenses so they can buy a car and see more of their adopted region," she said.
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The brothers have also been aided by advocacy group Rural Australians for Refugees.
Group member Bonnie Carter said she is pleased they have been able to support the Wakjiras with the help of the Ararat community.
"They are lovely men and we have been overwhelmed with offers of help to support them to settle in Ararat," she said.
"They arrived with literally nothing but the local community stepped up to help.
"We have also helped them with dental appointments and connecting them with Telstra.
"But this support is all aimed at seeing the brothers become independent and able to navigate the local community themselves."
Ararsa said he was appreciated the support he had received.
"Life in Australia makes me very happy," he said.
"AMES and Mirrin have helped me get this job and the RAR people have made us feel very welcome. I'm happy in Australia,"
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